NEW PORT RICHEY — As grocery prices remain high, some Pasco County residents are looking for ways to cut costs by growing their own food and buying locally.
In New Port Richey, a community-based network is working to make that easier, using gardens and a lesser-known fruit to connect residents with fresh produce.
Watch report from Erik Waxler
At a community garden in the city, volunteers grow a variety of foods, including tomatoes, broccoli, and peaches. Among them is a small orange fruit that is not widely recognized in the United States: the loquat.
“Folks will also say, well, what does it taste like. Well, it tastes like a loquat," said New Port Richey FarmNet director Dell DeChant.
DeChant and associate director Amanda Zborek talked to Tampa Bay 28's Erik Waxler inside East Madison Garden. It's one of the community gardens where they say the goal is to build a system that lets residents access food grown in their own community.
“The goal of the network is to develop a sustainable regenerative community that’s based on what’s available in the area,” DeChant said.
One of the most abundant local resources is the loquat, a fruit related to apples and pears that grows easily in Florida’s climate.
“The tree is very hearty, very sustainable. And it’s really part of a regenerative agricultural program that anyone can participate in,” DeChant said.
While loquats are grown around the world, they are not widely known in the United States. Organizers said that it is beginning to change locally through education and community events.
New Port Richey FarmNet also hosts a weekly market at the New Port Richey Public Library every Tuesday, where residents can purchase fresh, locally grown produce.
The fruit is also the focus of the annual Loquat Festival, which will take place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sims Park. The event will include vendors, gardening demonstrations, and the opportunity to purchase loquat trees for home planting.
Organizers say the effort is about more than a single fruit, pointing instead to a broader movement to make fresh food more accessible while helping residents manage rising grocery costs.
For information on New Port Richey FarmNet, visit here.
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For more than 15 years, Erik Waxler has called Pasco County home. He’s dedicated to helping his neighbors from New Port Richey to Dade City solve problems and celebrating those who help others. Share your ideas and tips with Erik below.
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